Chapter 1: Introduction to Jenkins

Chapter 1: Introduction to Jenkins

1. Understanding Jenkins

1.1 What is Jenkins?

Jenkins, originally known as Hudson, is a Java‑based open‑source automation server widely used in medium to large enterprises, especially in finance, for continuous integration and delivery. Its extensive plugin ecosystem greatly enhances its capabilities.

1.2 Jenkins Features

Open source and free

Cross‑platform support (Windows, Linux, macOS)

Master‑agent distributed architecture

Web‑based visual configuration interface

Easy installation and setup

Rich plugin ecosystem

1.3 Jenkins Evolution

Jenkins originated from the Hudson project, a Java‑written continuous integration tool launched by Sun Microsystems in 2004, with its first release in 2005. By 2007 Hudson began to replace CruiseControl and other build tools, and in 2008 it won the Duke's Choice Award at JavaOne.

In November 2010, after Oracle's acquisition of Sun, a trademark dispute over the name “Hudson” arose. The community voted on January 11, 2011, to rename the project to Jenkins, and the change was approved on January 29, 2011.

Oracle later announced it would continue developing Hudson, treating Jenkins as a fork. By December 2013, Jenkins had 567 contributors and about 1,100 public repositories on GitHub, far surpassing Hudson. Today Jenkins is the dominant CI platform, especially among Java developers.

2. Jenkins Web UI

2.1 Management Page

The system management page includes system configuration, global security, global tool configuration, node management, authorization, plugin management, backup, and log monitoring.

2.2 Project Management Page

2.3 Build Output Page

3. Jenkins Build

3.1 Jenkins Project Types

3.2 Jenkins Parameter Types

Credential, string, password, boolean, file, text, runtime, and choice parameters.

3.3 Jenkins Triggers